Over the last 10 years, The Christmas Revels have transported audiences to Scotland, Ireland, England and Andalusia to enjoy the traditions of each time and place.

This year, the Revels will be staying home.

The new show—An Early California Celebration of the Winter Solstice—is set in Santa Barbara in the year 1836, and is based on an actual historic event, when young Harvard student Richard Henry Dana took time off from school and sailed on a merchant trader ship up and down the West Coast. While anchored in Santa Barbara Harbor, he and his shipmates were invited to the wedding of Anita de la Guerra—and you are invited to the wedding–aka, the social event of the season!

The original script is written by award-winning historian and writer Erin Graffy, in collaboration with Santa Barbara Revels Founder and Artistic Director, Susan Keller. The music is selected and arranged by Erin McKibben, an instrumentalist and choral director who led the talented Children’s Chorus last year and has taken over the position of Revels Music Director this year. She is assisted in her research by music historian Nicholas Jurkowski, who is unearthing wonderful material from that era, and by James Garcia, an expert in the music of this period. Stage Director Matt Tavianini draws on his extensive experience with Boxtales Theatre Company and his many directing assignments around the community.

This new show will include the beloved Revels touchstones found in every production of “The Christmas Revels” done by each of the nine Revels communities throughout the U.S. From the traditional musical and theatrical elements that enliven and enrich each performance of “The Christmas Revels” to the lively audience participation, “An Early California Celebration of the Winter Solstice” is sure to satisfy history and holiday buffs alike.